Dance With My Daddy Once More
by christibabe
Summary: Stephanie deals with the death of a loved one. Ranger is present and there is a Babe HEA presence. Morelli shows up and is not hurt. This is dedicated to Margaret Fowler. This story is complete.


**Disclaimer: The characters you recognize as J.E. are hers. **

This is a song fic with the song Dance With My Father by Luther Vandross. Lyrics was gotten off Youtube. _This is dedicated to Margaret Fowler. Hope this is what you wanted._

_**Tissue warning just in case. Character death.**_

Stephanie's POV:

I pulled into the garage at Haywood and parked half-hazardly before getting out of my latest POS car and hitting the key fob to get me to Ranger's penthouse apartment. I was numb and cold as ice. I felt lost and alone with no clue what my next move was going to be. The devastating loss I felt was crushing me, and I only knew I needed Batman to survive this.

_"Back when I was a child, before life removed all the innocence  
My father would lift me high and dance with my mother and me and then  
Spin me around 'til I fell asleep  
Then up the stairs he would carry me  
And I knew for sure I was loved  
If I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with him  
I'd play a song that would never, ever end  
How I'd love, love, love  
To dance with my father again_

When I reached the penthouse, I went in and crawled into his bed. I was alone but I knew he would come. It was just a matter of time. I don't know how long I was there in my misery, but suddenly warm arms surrounded me and the first sob broke through. I heard, "Babe?" and my sobs grew. I clung to the arms holding me. I don't know how long we sat there with his arms holding me while I cried. I grew tired and my eyes drifted shut.

I heard voices talking. I recognized Ranger's voice asking, "What did you find?"

Tank's voice answered, "I called Lula. She said Stephanie's father died in a car accident. He was driving a fare to the airport when a drunk driver ran into the cab head on. There were no survivors. They all died on impact."

"How is her mom and grandma doing?"

"The grandma is doing okay but the mom is a wreck. So's the sister and nieces."

"Ask the guys for volunteers to help out."

"Already done Rangeman. Cal and Woody are with the sister, Ram and Hal are with the mom and grandma. Lester, Bobby and I are here with you and Stephanie."

_When I and my mother would disagree  
To get my way, I would run from her to him  
He'd make me laugh just to comfort me  
Then finally make me do just what my mama said  
Later that night when I was asleep  
He left a dollar under my sheet  
Never dreamed that he would be gone from me  
If I could steal one final glance, one final step, one final dance with him  
I'd play a song that would never, ever end  
'Cause I'd love, love, love  
To dance with my father again_

When I woke up the next morning I was in Ranger's arms. I looked up into his eyes and knew by the look he was giving me that he knew. I took a deep breath and asked, "What do I do to get through this?"

"One step at a time Babe. I'll be here beside you the whole way."

I wrapped my arms around him and the tears started falling once again. "My daddy's dead."

Ranger held me in his arms and spoke softly to me in Spanish. I didn't understand the words but the tone comforted me. Somehow I made it through the funeral and eventually my pain eased. I still thought about my daddy often, and I missed him. Ranger never tired of holding me and letting me soak his shirts. Over time things got better.

The first year was the worst. The guys stayed close though and with their help we made it through. There were still days when I would stop by my mom's and I'd find her sobbing her heart out. She was truly happy for me when I told her Ranger and I were a couple. She even accepted that neither of us felt the need to marry again or have children. I still smiled when I thought of the day Joe showed up at dinner time when I was over there one night while Ranger was in the wind. Joe started in about Ranger and the guys and how they were a bunch of mercenary thugs. When my mom told Joe to get out of her house and never come back if he was going to talk that way about Ranger and his men. She told him they'd been a Godsend to us when daddy died and she'd hear nothing said against them.

_Sometimes I'd listen outside her door  
And I'd hear how my mother cried for him  
I pray for her even more than me  
I pray for her even more than me  
I know I'm praying for much too much  
But could you send back the only man she loved  
I know you don't do it usually  
But dear Lord she's dying  
To dance with my father again  
Every night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream"_

As hard as losing my dad was on me, it was infinitely worse for my mother. He was her world and she would do anything for him. I lost a father, but she lost a soul mate. Over the years the loss had eased some, but never totally went away. Today we were celebrating Angie's marriage to her childhood sweetheart. As I watched her dance with Albert my heart ached because I would never dance with my daddy again. My heart broke for the pain my mother must be going through. Because I knew as much as I would love to dance once more with daddy, I wished she could have one more dance with the man she still loved.


End file.
